Gone
by River Eagle
Summary: Lois' POV, set in the days immediately after Superman heads for Krypton.


**Gone**

_By River Eagle_

I peered into my coffee mug and drank what was left at the bottom of it. Coffee was one thing that kept me going at work and usually it was Clark that got me my second cup of the day. I wasn't sure if I just finished my first or second cup when I called out "Clark?" expecting a response. When I didn't hear his reply, I continued on with my question, "What do you think about this angle?" It was only then that I looked up and frowned. Clark's desk, which was just across the aisle from mine, looked as though it hadn't been used all morning.

In fact, it was empty apart from the computer, desk lamp and phone that are standard for any desk in the bullpen. There was nothing that personalised it as Clark Kent's desk and I couldn't understand it.

"Clark?" I stood and scanned the bullpen. Perhaps Clark had moved his desk and I hadn't been told about it, but that didn't make sense. "Where is he?" I asked quietly. Sure, after three years of having Clark as a partner—an unreliable one at that—I was used to him running off and leaving me in the middle of a conversation or whatever we were working on. That doesn't mean I liked or understood his need for doing it. But usually, he would arrive back with an exclusive he shared with me, and most of the time it involved Superman.

I shook my head. Clark wasn't in the bullpen from what I saw and I put it down to his tardiness. At least I didn't have to listen to one of his very lame excuses to get out of helping me with the Mayoral fraud we were working on. "Jimmy!" The junior photographer appeared at my side. "Did Clark say where he was going?"

"CK? I haven't seen him."

"Are you sure?" Jimmy nodded and turned to move away. I stopped him before he did and asked, "Did you get a list of those phone numbers I asked you for?"

"Ah, yeah. They're on my desk. I'll just go get them for you."

"Lane!" I jumped at Perry's voice issuing from his office doorway and heard several snickers. Glaring at all who did so, I made my way to the E&C's office but got distracted at the coffee filter. It wasn't as though Perry calling my name was a rare occurrence—it happened at least every second day—but I didn't see why the other reporters had to snicker each time the chief wanted me in his office. It's not like I was always getting myself into a situation where he (or Clark) had to bail me out.

At least that was one thing Clark was good at. He would always show up when I needed him. Whenever I _wanted_ him, he wouldn't be within the vicinity, but he would always, _always_, be there during the times I actually needed him. I think that was part of his charm.

"LOIS! Get your butt into my office pronto!"

I cringed as I made my way across the bullpen floor and into Perry's office. He closed the door behind him and I spun on my heel to face him. "What is this about Perry? I'm almost finished that piece for the morning edition and Jimmy's getting back to me with a lead."

"Have you seen Kent this morning?"

"He hasn't been in. Can I get back to work now?"

"Give your notes to one of the guys in Local."

"And what do you want me doing? Find Mister Green-Jeans, hick from _Nowheresville_? You can shove it, Perry, if you're even thinking about doing that." Perry sighed and looked out into the bullpen through the blinds on his window. Whatever I had been expecting from Perry, it hadn't been that. I frowned. Again. "What's going on?"

"Kent sent this in about eight-thirty last night," Perry said, moving to his desk and handing me an article. I took it off him and started reading it over, waiting for the chief to say something more. "I was just wondering when he cleared out his desk."

The chief noticed Clark's desk had been cleared out? I was beginning to panic. "I'm going to be sick," I muttered as I covered my mouth. Perry handed me a wastebasket and I lost my stomach. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I looked up at my boss. "What's going on? Where's Clark?"

"That was what I was hoping you could tell me." Poking his head out of his office door, Perry yelled for Jimmy and handed the photographer the wastebasket I had thrown up in before shutting the door again. He pulled me into his arms and rubbed my back. The concern on his face was touching, but at that stage, I wasn't up to dealing with it. I shot him a pleading look and he decided to elaborate on the whereabouts of my partner. "From what I can gather from this latest article Kent sent in is that he's made a major breakthrough with the NSI investigation he was doing. All his research is on his computer."

I blinked. "Was?"

"He got in too far."

"Oh. I see. He thought it would be safer for him to disappear for the time being?"

A knock came at Perry's door, making the two of us look toward it. "Come in," Perry called.

The door opened and a well dressed man entered. I didn't recognise him. "Excuse me, Perry White?"

"How can I help you, sir?"

"I was told to deliver this to one Lois Lane of the _Daily Planet_." The stranger pulled out an envelope and held it up. "I assume that would be you, miss?" I nodded and reached out to take the envelope off him. He handed it to me and I tore the seal. Ignoring both Perry and the stranger for the time being, I skimmed over the note a few times before reading it properly. The writing was Clark's, I knew that much. But really, did he expect me to believe the cock and bull story in his note about having to leave to 'find himself'? Apparently, after looking at the man who'd handed me the note, he did.

"Bull," I spat out, thrusting the note from Clark into the chief's hand; I turned on the one who delivered it. "You expect me to believe all this? Smallville hasn't gone off on a world tour to 'find himself' or to 'disappear'. Will someone be straight with me or do I have to listen to more lies?"

"Miss Lane, you may not know this, but Kent is a good friend of mine and has saved my neck on more than one occasion. Considering my ties with Wayne Enterprises and its ties to the NSI, Kent knew I'd be able to get information about several unfortunate deals the NSI has made over the last few weeks and once I knew Kent had enough for a story, I urged him to lay low for a while. He came to me this morning in Gotham and told me he'd filed the story before telling me he had to go out of the country for the next few years on personal business. I didn't ask where he was going or when he would be back as it's none of my business. I flew out here as soon as he left."

I snorted. "You expe—"

"LOIS!"

Crap. I leaned back against the chair I was in and asked, "So Clark scooped me on a major corruption story and he's running for his life?" Perry and the other guy, I never did get his name, both paused and I took their hesitation as a confirmation. "That just proves the farmboy has no spine and can't stand up under a little pressure. He'll be back once this is all blown over."

How wrong I was.

Perry let me go back to the Mayoral story I had been working on and had it finished by afternoon edition. Clark's NSI story ran on the front page above the fold in the same afternoon edition my story got put in. Every time I went to call out my partner's name that week, I caught myself just in time and I felt an ache of loneliness within me. I shook myself from my thoughts. Clark was no more than a half-beat hack from the middle of nowhere who was nowhere near my equal as an investigative reporter.

Surprisingly enough, though, I miss that competitive spark he put into my work. I heard Perry say to the new assistant editor that I haven't really been the same since my partner went AWOL last month. Really, I think it's because my best friend up and left me, but others would tell you that it's because I'm still _'in love'_ with 'you-know-who'. Yeah right. I don't know how Clark managed to worm his way into the spot of being my best friend, but I guess he's the kind of guy that is very easy to like and always wants to help out.

Unlike Superman, who is a god among men.

I can tell you though; I would always pick the later before I'd pick Clark if I were to love anyone. Neither is obtainable now. And it's going to be an interesting conversation with whichever one of them gets back first.

_**AN:**Hey guys, yeah this story has been re-written and answers to who the unnamed man is will be out in an alternate story I'm writing to incorporate all Superman movies (which I won't put out until I'm at least half way through it.)_


End file.
